John M Stahl

Capable craftsman, in films from 1914, with a flair for lifting trite, sentimental material to higher ground. A master of the "woman's melodrama" and a director latterly acclaimed by film critics and...
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Oscar-winner George Clooney has called on stars to bombard New York City website Gawker.com with bogus celebrity sightings in a concerted effort to render it useless.
The controversial Internet site posts instant sightings of celebrities and their exact whereabouts, allowing fans to gather to see them in the flesh--but it is feared stalkers will also tap into the new resource.
According to PageSix.com, an email distributed by the Syriana actor's publicist reads: "There is a simple way to render these guys useless.
"Flood their website with bogus sightings. Get your clients to get 10 friends to text in fake sightings of any number of stars. A couple hundred conflicting sightings and this website is worthless.
"No need to try to create new laws to restrict free speech. Just make them useless. That's the fun of it. And then sit back and enjoy the ride. Thanks, George."
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Title

Moved to Hollywood; joined Louis B. Mayer in independent production (date approximate)

Entered film as bit player

Became vice president and producer Tiffany-Stahl Studios

Ran away from home at 14 and joined a touring theater company

Summary

Capable craftsman, in films from 1914, with a flair for lifting trite, sentimental material to higher ground. A master of the "woman's melodrama" and a director latterly acclaimed by film critics and historians for his use of the long take years before it became common after WWII, Stahl directed the original screen versions of several classic weepies, including "Back Street" (1932), "Imitation of Life" (1934) and "Magnificent Obsession" (1935). The latter two were remade in the 1950s, in more florid style, by Douglas Sirk.